The particle size of the suspended matter is generally between a few to a few hundred microns. In order to study its chemical composition, it is usually separated from seawater with a filter membrane with a pore size of 0.45 microns. Suspended matter contains two types of organic components and inorganic components:
(1) Organic components. Mainly biological debris, excrement and decomposition products, composed of cellulose, starch and other carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and chitin.
(2) Inorganic components. Including quartz, feldspar, carbonate, clay and other mineral detritus from the continent, and silicate formed in the chemical process of seawater.